10 replies to this topic

[pammartin]

This is a bit off topic and am hoping it was not discussed, but as of June 1, 2016 Blue Cross/Blue Shield is no longer accepting credit cards for premiums.  They will accept checking accounts and prepaid cards.

 

Because I receive a grant for a portion of my monthly premium I have always paid the premium on our credit card then paid it off when I received the grant.  I don't have $1600 plus laying around to pay out of our debit card, 

 

This is yet another blow to our situation.  My medicare begins July 1.  My supplemental insurance looks like it is going to be ridiculous and the medication supplement has me paying $14k out of pocket before the supplement pays anything, and then with Part A, Part B, and drug coverages it will be 20% out of pocket with no limit to reach.

 

I am grasping at straws.  My grant will only cover private insurance, not medicare for the premium.  I did add Tasigna to my med base just in case I have to return to it. 

 

I am in shock.  There is no way around it, I have had insurance agents, assistance office, and SS tell me this.

 

So after sneaking in the whine fest on what I am going to be looking at, please if you did previously pay health benefits with a credit card it will no longer be permitted.

 

Another day, another whammy.

[chriskuo]

Part D can be tough if there is no cap on out-of-pocket.  Is the $14K cap a combined cap?

 

Have you checked what your doctor bills will be under Medicare Part B?  They should be quite a bit lower because the amount that doctors can bill to Medicare is much much less than what they would bill to a commercial plan.  You may still have to pay 20% until you reach your cap, but the 20% will be calculated on a much smaller number. 

[hannibellemo]

Yet another reason we need to be lobbying our congress people for parity between oral cancer medications and other cancer treatments and to allow negotiations for drug costs in Medicare. Thank you, Pres. G. W. Bush for the pickle many of us do, or will soon, find ourselves in! 

[r06ue1]

The cure can't come fast enough.

[pammartin]

Part D can be tough if there is no cap on out-of-pocket.  Is the $14K cap a combined cap?

 

Have you checked what your doctor bills will be under Medicare Part B?  They should be quite a bit lower because the amount that doctors can bill to Medicare is much much less than what they would bill to a commercial plan.  You may still have to pay 20% until you reach your cap, but the 20% will be calculated on a much smaller number. 

The 14k is my med co pays alone.  The monthly premium and the 20% deductible are both in addition to that amount.  I was hoping I could keep the Caring Voice grant and it help pay the premium while I fought to get meds.  Caring Voice only covers infused and inhaled meds and nothing I take now is under that criteria.  I have emailed the PH coordinator, I am due to go down there anyway.  They often have inventive ways to get their meds, it is all the other doctors I am concerned about.  Even with trying to keep up and paying monthly we owe about $12k now in co pay and hospital bills.  One of these days they are going to just shut me off till I pay.  If I have to add a TKI back into the mix, which would be Tasigna, these numbers would at least double.

 

I have considered finding a cave to live in, right now that cave looks really, really good.

[beno]

Your credit card might allow a cash advance that you could use to pay the premium and still use the grant to pay off the card.  You will have the additional expense of a cash advance fee, but at least the insurance would get paid.

[thatguy]

Sent you a Private Message, Pam.

[AllTheseYears]

pammartin:  Couldn't be more sympathetic; I'm in the same situation.  Since our government won't negotiate drug costs (as private insurers can do), when you retire and are on Medicare, you really get hurt.  The out-of-pocket cost for my TKI is about the same as yours -  and it's year after year after year.  I continue to write letters and emails about the situation, but I think Big Pharma rules in Washington. 

 

The financial "whammy" is an emotional drain and really colors how I see the future. Don't know what I can say to cheer you up, except that I get it.  We can speak out, and as others do also, maybe something will change.   

[r06ue1]

 

 

but I think Big Pharma rules in Washington. 

 

They wrote the legislation.

[Gail's]

I briefly mentioned to my onc the pickle I'll be in once I'm approved for Medicare. She told me not to worry, that she has several people on Medicare who also get $ from the pharmaceutical companies. When I said I thought it was illegal, she said not to worry, there are legal loopholes. I'll share more once I find out what loopholes she's talking about.

[thatguy]

Pam, I sent you a message that might help.